“I love you, Anya,” I whisper, voice rough but sincere. “I fucking love you so much.”
She turns her head just enough for me to see her cheeks flush bright pink, a shy little smile on her lips even while she is still stuffed full in both holes. “I love you too.”
Thirty
RYKER
I’m pacing Keith’s living room, my hackles raised, a growl rumbling deep in my chest. A beta servant let us in, telling us to wait a few minutes for Keith.
My fists clench so tight my knuckles crack, my entire body vibrating with barely contained rage. Rex stands silently by the door, his face a cold mask, but I can feel his wolf prowling just beneath the surface. Alaric is at the window, watching the driveway.
“We’ve been waiting fifteen minutes,” Alaric says, checking his watch. “He’s making us wait on purpose.”
“Of course he is,” I snarl. “Fucking power play. Thinks he’s got the upper hand.” I crack my neck, a habit when I’m trying to keep my wolf in check. “He has no idea what’s coming.”
The door opens, and we all tense, expecting Keith. But instead, a woman enters. She’s slender, with curly blond hair pulled back in a simple ponytail. She’s older, maybe in her forties, but there’s something about her that catches my attention. The same violet eyes. The same delicate features. The same nervous energy that reminds me so much of Anya.
This must be her mother.
“Mr. Keith will be with you in just a moment,” she says, her voice soft but steady. “He apologizes for the delay. Can I get you anything to drink while you wait?”
She’s not looking at us directly. Her eyes are fixed somewhere around our shoulders, but there’s a tension in her frame, like the weight of the world is on her shoulders.
“No,” I say, my voice coming out rougher than I intended. “We’re fine.”
She nods, her eyes flicking briefly to my face before dropping again. “He won’t be much longer,” she says, then turns to leave.
As the door closes behind her, Rex is immediately at my side. “That’s her, isn’t it?” he whispers, his green eyes intense. “Anya’s mom. Our future mom-in-law.”
I nod, not taking my eyes off the door. “Has to be. The resemblance is too strong.” I turn to Rex, making a quick decision. “I want you to follow her. Get her out of here before this goes down.”
He nods, understanding immediately. “On it.”
“Be careful,” I add. “She’s probably watched. Tell her Anya sent you if you have to.”
Rex slips out the door, moving with the silent grace that makes him such an effective hunter. The rest of us return to our positions, the tension ratcheting up another notch. If Keith realizes we’ve figured out his operation, this could get ugly fast.
The door bursts open again, and Keith strides in like he owns the world—which, in his mind, he probably does. He’s tall, broad-shouldered, with that particular swagger of an alpha who’s never been seriously challenged. His dark hair is slicked back, his smile easy but not reaching his cold eyes. Behind him follow his two packmates- Carl and Bruce. They’re both big and radiating the menace of predators.
“Ryker,” Keith says, extending a hand that I make no move to take. “To what do I owe the pleasure? I assume this isn’t a social call.”
I let the silence stretch, watching his smile falter slightly. “Why did you take her?” I finally ask, my voice deadly quiet.
“What? Who?” he asks, lifting his eyebrows like he was the most innocent man in the world.
“Cut the shit, Keith.” I step forward, closing the distance between us until we’re nearly chest to chest. He’s tall, but I’ve got two inches and at least thirty pounds of muscle on him. “You know exactly who I’m talking about. Anya Rosewood. The omega you kidnapped. The one you were planning to sell.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he says, his voice taking on an edge. “And I suggest you watch your tone. You’re in my house, speaking to the man who holds the fate of your little island resort in his hands. I’d be very careful about making accusations you can’t back up.”
I laugh, the sound harsh and without humor. “I don’t give a fuck about your threats anymore, Keith. The resort can burn for all I care. Why did you take her? What were you planning to do with her?”
His face darkens, his control slipping.
“Your little omega bitch cost me a very powerful deal,” he snarls, dropping the pretense. “Three million dollars, plus connections I’ve been cultivating for years. Pure-blood omega, perfect for breeding. And then she runs off in the middle of her heat like some common street slut.”
The rage that washes through me is blinding, pure white-hot fury that makes my vision blur at the edges. I’m moving before I can think, my fist connecting with his jaw with a satisfying crack. He staggers back, blood spurting from his split lip, eyes wide with shock.
“Don’t you fucking dare talk about her like that,” I growl,my voice dropping to something barely human. “She’s not merchandise. She’s not stock. She’s a person, and she’s mine.”
